Page 12 of A Merry Little Christmas

Nell boiled the kettle to make a herbal tea before remembering that there was no need to restrict her caffeine levels now that she wouldn’t be conceiving any time soon. She switched on the Nespresso machine and brewed herself an extra-strong cappuccino. If ever she deserved a decent coffee, it was now.

She’d had the first delicious sip and taken her phone out to compose a message to Olek when it rang in her hand. This time it was Merry.

Nell steeled herself before picking up. Merry was bound to ask how it had gone at the clinic and Nell wasn’t ready to talk about it yet. But she couldn’t avoid her call, not while the poor thing was in hospital. She took a fortifying breath and answered.

‘Hello, you,’ she said, forcing a smile into her voice. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Fat and frustrated,’ Merry said with a huff. ‘I feel like a prisoner held against my will in here. I’d be fine at home; in fact, I’d be fine sitting quietly in the studio at Merry and Bright. It would be quieter and smell a million times nicer.’

‘Nobody likes hospitals, but I’m sure the medical staff know what they’re doing,’ said Nell, mildly. ‘You’re in the best place for now.’

She flicked on the computer while she waited for Merry to give her whatever orders she’d phoned to impart.

‘At least I’ve managed to do the online Christmas food shopping,’ said Merry with a sigh. ‘So that’s something off my list. I mean, God knows where we’ll be eating it, but I’ve got everything we need for Christmas lunch, down to the cranberry sauce and brandy butter. I’m absolutely determined to be in the new house by then, but Cole is dragging his heels. Oh yes, and did I tell you I’ve got a date for the baby to be induced? It’ll be between Christmas and New Year, which means Cole and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary without having a baby to look after. We’ll be able to focus just on ourselves for once. Not sure how romantic it will be with me looking like a beached whale, but we’ll think of something.’

Nell could feel her irritation rising. How could Merry witter on about the cranberry sauce before remembering that she had a date for when her baby would be arriving? Nell would have blurted that out first! And while she accepted that Merry had a lot going on right now, she hadn’t even mentioned Nell’s tests. Which, she admitted to herself, was a very contrary attitude, given that she didn’t want to talk about it, but even so, Merry should have asked.

Before she could agree or otherwise with Merry, an email popped into the inbox from Airbnb.

‘We’ve had a new enquiry about the flat,’ said Nell, clicking on the message to read it. ‘Oh bloody hell, arrival date on Monday for a stay of three weeks!’ She scanned the rest of the message. ‘And happy to work at Merry and Bright full-time.’

‘That’s handy. I don’t suppose they know how to make candles, do they?’

As if Merry would let a stranger loose in her studio, thought Nell, bemused. ‘We can but hope,’ she replied diplomatically.

‘The flat is clean and ready to go,’ said Merry. ‘But we should probably put Christmas decorations up. Oh and a tree! A real one, obviously. It’ll look lovely.’

Nell snorted. ‘By we, do you mean me?’

‘Not out of choice,’ Merry said spikily. ‘You know I’d happily do it if I was allowed.’

‘Easy, tiger,’ she replied. ‘And it’s no problem, check-in time isn’t until three in the afternoon, I can get it sorted on Monday morning. The booking is for just one person. Don’t you think that’s a bit odd; such a long stay at the last minute for one guest?’

‘Who knows what goes on in other people’s lives,’ Merry replied. ‘Perhaps it’s someone who hates Christmas, or someone who’s found themselves suddenly homeless, or chucked out by their partner, or recently bereaved and needs somewhere without any sad memories.’

‘Let’s hope it’s someone who fancies a holiday in a lovely flat in our pretty town,’ Nell said, noticing how even after all these years Merry’s mind automatically reverted to her own worst fears. ‘Anyway, leave it with me.’

Nell was secretly pleased to be able to take over the booking herself.

It had been her idea to list the apartment above the shop on Airbnb and she was proud of how successful it had been. She’d read about a scheme up north somewhere where holiday guests could work in a quaint bookshop by the sea and stay in the apartment above. Nell had had a feeling that a stay in the pretty Tudor town of Wetherley, plus the chance to learn how to make scented candles, would be just as popular and the duplex above Merry and Bright had been empty since Cole had moved in with Merry. It hadn’t taken the two friends much time to convert it into a holiday let. Since then, they’d had an interesting assortment of visitors to stay and help out in the shop, and, with only a few exceptions (like the woman who was allergic to most essential oils and spent the entire week sneezing), the extra labour had come in very handy, and it had added variety to their working environment that both women enjoyed immensely.

‘Thanks, I do appreciate it,’ said her friend. ‘I’m lucky to have you, Nell, and I am really sorry to be leaving you in the lurch.’

‘Happy to help,’ Nell said. ‘And, actually, the timing is perfect. With you having to rest, I’ll be super grateful for some help in the shop.’

‘Hmm.’ Merry didn’t sound convinced.

Nell bit her tongue. Despite being only weeks away from becoming a mother, Merry was in denial about needing to take some maternity leave or recruit a member of staff to help out in the shop. She seemed to think that as the baby would be small and portable, she’d be able to come back to work almost immediately. But Nell wasn’t going to tackle her about it now, she’d pick her moment, and at least with the arrival of the new Airbnb guest, she’d have immediate help.

‘You look after yourself, and that baby. The sooner you behave and stop worrying the doctors, the sooner you’ll be allowed out of your terrible prison.’

‘Don’t you start,’ Merry grumbled. ‘It’s bad enough with the hospital staff and Cole telling me what to do. I don’t have much choice other than to behave, do I? Speak to you later.’

She signed off abruptly, leaving Nell staring at the phone in surprise; Merry hadn’t even asked about her and Olek’s appointment. She was preoccupied with her baby, but even so, Nell couldn’t help feeling hurt.

Still, looking on the bright side, at least she hadn’t had to give her an edited version of the results.

She’d barely finished her coffee when the door opened and in came Sadie, the landlady from the Bristly Badger pub on the other side of the market square.